# Movie theme music

**URL:** <https://forums.plex.tv/t/movie-theme-music/694696>\
**Category:** General Discussions\
**Created:** [February 25, 2021, 7:50pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/movie-theme-music/694696 "2021-02-25T19:50:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jsc1205](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@jsc1205](https://forums.plex.tv/u/jsc1205)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 7:50pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/movie-theme-music/694696/1 "2021-02-25T19:50:18Z")

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Evidently according to the last couple of posts on this topic in the Feature Request section, movie theme music has been implemented for Movies. Question is, how is anyone getting this to work?  
I placed an MP3 in one of my movie folders (labeled as “theme”), refreshed the metadata…and nothing.  
Ideas??

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**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 7:53pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/movie-theme-music/694696/2 "2021-02-25T19:53:06Z")

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It does only work in libraries which have been converted to use the new “Plex Movie” scanner and agent.

It doesn’t work currently on clients which use the “Lightning” app (pratically all new smart tv and game consoles, except Android).

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**Author:** ![jsc1205](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@jsc1205](https://forums.plex.tv/u/jsc1205)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 8:01pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/movie-theme-music/694696/3 "2021-02-25T20:01:17Z")

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I’m primarily using Plex on a Shield TV Pro, iPad and android phone. I tested it on the web app and it did nothing. I’m currently using the latest beta version.

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**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 8:03pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/movie-theme-music/694696/4 "2021-02-25T20:03:01Z")

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You’ll have to enable “theme music” in every app’s preferences. Just as before with theme music for tv shows.  
Which server version are you on?

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**Author:** ![jsc1205](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@jsc1205](https://forums.plex.tv/u/jsc1205)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 8:07pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/movie-theme-music/694696/5 "2021-02-25T20:07:42Z")

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Currently on 1.21.4.4079-1b7748a7b

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**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 8:08pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/movie-theme-music/694696/6 "2021-02-25T20:08:38Z")

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> [@jsc1205](#):
>
> I placed an MP3 in one of my movie folders (labeled as “theme”), refreshed the metadata…and nothing.

Are you using one subfolder per movie? If not, it won’t work.

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**Author:** ![jsc1205](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@jsc1205](https://forums.plex.tv/u/jsc1205)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 8:09pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/movie-theme-music/694696/7 "2021-02-25T20:09:57Z")

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So the MP3 has to go into its own folder within the movie folder?

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**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 8:54pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/movie-theme-music/694696/8 "2021-02-25T20:54:34Z")

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It has to go into the same folder as the movie itself. But the movie has to have its own folder.  
Not all movie files in one big, common folder.  
Just as shown in here: [[implemented] Extras - movie themes - #50 by DarzL](https://forums.plex.tv/t/implemented-extras-movie-themes/72144/50)

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**Author:** ![jsc1205](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@jsc1205](https://forums.plex.tv/u/jsc1205)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 9:28pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/movie-theme-music/694696/9 "2021-02-25T21:28:51Z")

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Yep that is exactly what I have, but for some reason its not working. Even after I have refreshed the metadata

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**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 9:30pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/movie-theme-music/694696/10 "2021-02-25T21:30:32Z")

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Which agent and scanner are set in your library?

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**Author:** ![jsc1205](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@jsc1205](https://forums.plex.tv/u/jsc1205)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 9:34pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/movie-theme-music/694696/11 "2021-02-25T21:34:32Z")

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Showing the Agent for movies is Plex Movie and the Scanner is also Plex Movie

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 9:37pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/movie-theme-music/694696/12 "2021-02-25T21:37:04Z")

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That should be alright, then.  
I have no idea, then. It does work here.

Have you tried it with a few other movies? Just to rule out that it might have to do with a particular movie.

Is “Use local assets” activated in the properties of the library?

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**Author:** ![jsc1205](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@jsc1205](https://forums.plex.tv/u/jsc1205)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 9:41pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/movie-theme-music/694696/13 "2021-02-25T21:41:48Z")

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Yep local assets is checked on as well. Will keep trying it to see what in the world is going on. Are you getting it to work on the web app?

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**Author:** ![beckfield](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/beckfield/32/7227_2.png) [@beckfield](https://forums.plex.tv/u/beckfield)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 10:32pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/movie-theme-music/694696/14 "2021-02-25T22:32:14Z")

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Does it only work with local files?

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**Author:** ![jsc1205](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@jsc1205](https://forums.plex.tv/u/jsc1205)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 10:38pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/movie-theme-music/694696/15 "2021-02-25T22:38:08Z")

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Ok…figured it out. Under the Advanced section of your movies library, “prefer local metadata” has be to checked in order for theme music to work for movies.

Now here is a good question: Now that this has been implemented, how do you enable this for collections? This way when your in a collection and select movies within that collection, the the theme music plays. Instead of starting / stopping after selecting a movie within the collection.

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**Author:** ![tom80H](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/tom80h/32/19753_2.png) [@tom80H](https://forums.plex.tv/u/tom80H)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 11:10pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/movie-theme-music/694696/16 "2021-02-25T23:10:37Z")

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> [@jsc1205](#):
>
> Under the Advanced section of your movies library, “prefer local metadata” has be to checked in order for theme music to work for movies.

No, that’s not necessary (I just added a whole lot of theme.mp3 files to my movies with this option disabled – still working like a charm). Maybe Plex was busy with some background task and was processing your metadata updates slowly or late?!

# 

All it took me are (as per Otto’s posts):

- Current version of PMS (1.21.4)
- Library set to `Plex Movie` agent (not legacy!) – media not manually matched to a different agent
- Advanced library settings enabled (I have not yet verified if you really need both…):
  - `Use Local Assets`
  - `Find Extras`

# 

> [@beckfield](#):
>
> Does it only work with local files?

What other files do you have in mind? 😉

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![beckfield](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/beckfield/32/7227_2.png) [@beckfield](https://forums.plex.tv/u/beckfield)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 11:15pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/movie-theme-music/694696/17 "2021-02-25T23:15:11Z")

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> [@tom80H](#):
>
> What other files do you have in mind?

Just wondering if it would draw from an online db, like it does for TV. But @jsc1205’s observation that ‘Prefer local metadata’ needs to be enabled pretty much answered that. Not a big deal, just curious. I only have about 30 movies, and one TV show, so I’m only checking it out.

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**Author:** ![jsc1205](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@jsc1205](https://forums.plex.tv/u/jsc1205)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 11:17pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/movie-theme-music/694696/18 "2021-02-25T23:17:17Z")

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If Plex was able to pull from a database like it does for TV Shows, that would be great. My movie collection is quite large, so going through every movie and adding a theme music file would take forever.

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**Author:** ![beckfield](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/beckfield/32/7227_2.png) [@beckfield](https://forums.plex.tv/u/beckfield)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 11:23pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/movie-theme-music/694696/19 "2021-02-25T23:23:41Z")

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I just discovered that Plex keeps its own database for TV themes. I always assumed it came from some TVDB-like source.

> **[TV Theme Music & Submissions | Plex Support](https://support.plex.tv/articles/201572843-tv-theme-music-submissions/)**
>
> TV Theme Music The TV Theme Music feature plays TV show theme songs in the background when you navigate to...

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jsc1205](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@jsc1205](https://forums.plex.tv/u/jsc1205)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 11:38pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/movie-theme-music/694696/20 "2021-02-25T23:38:14Z")

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@tom80H  
Initially it will not work for me unless I turn on “prefer local metadata”. Then, once the movie is refreshed, the music will play if that is turned off. Have no idea why.

Another thing I noticed while playing around with this… Once you select a movie that has theme music, that music will continue to play even after you go back and browse through other movies. I realized this when I went back to the movie with the theme.mp3 file on it and it DID NOT start from the beginning (like TV Shows)…it picked up where I backed out of the movie info or could have been still playing in the background in Plex but dont hear it until you select the movie again.

[Next page](https://forums.plex.tv/t/movie-theme-music/694696.md?page=2)
